Revoluble buffer



E. J. SILVIUS REVOLUBLE BUFFER Filed July 5, 1921 sega. nl, 1923. M6145@ Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

EARL J. sILv1Us,`or;` SALEM, NEW HAM's-Inia Rnvoniann B'U'rrnn.

application sied :ruiy '5, 1921,. Aseif'iai ne. i'lzgsso.

To all whom it may concern? Be it known that I', EARL QI. SILviU's, a citizen lof the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Revoluble Buffers, of which the following is a specification.

rI`his invention relates to buffers or bumpers for circular cars or tubs such as are used in amusement devices of various kinds.

It is more particularly useful when attached to circular cars of the type such as shown in patents to IvStock, Amusement device, No. 1,339,299, May 4,1920, Stoehrer, Amusement apparatus, No. 1,373,108, March 29, 1921, and in my applications for patents pending herewith, No. 471,313, filed May 21.

1921, and No. 472,565, filed May 25, 1921, provided with motive power and such as are used on a floor with a fence around it and intended for use by lunskilled operators.

When two of these cars come together or when one strikes the fence, it is desirable that it `should not stop but should continue on such cars, but my improvement consists broadly of a buffer, preferably of the pneumatic type, which is revoluble in a horizontal plane around the car.

It may also be used on such tubs as shown in patent to Mangels, Amusement apparatus, No. 873,570, December 10, A1907 where the tub is intended to move in a chute or slide and to strike the sides thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view showing part of the floor and fence of an amusement device, including one of the cars such as are used therein with my buffer attached.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section,

' showing part of such a floor, fence, and car,

with my preferred type of pneumatic buffer shown in section and attached thereto.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of another pneumatic buffer attached to such a car supported by a different type of bearings.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a car or tub with a revoluble horizontal rim carrying spring buffers instead of a pneumatic tire.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, similar to Figs. 2 and 3, Von the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, represents a flolorf around the whole 'or part of which is a protecting fence B so that the Vcars,of which 'one is shown at C, cannot/run oft.` The type Nofca-'r shown at `C` has-freely swivel-ed supporting rollers 9 which restV upon the floor, *and a traction unit,` indicated 'atJDg compri'singrollers 5', 5.-, whehret upmfythg floor and are freely swlvel'ed so asto revolve on or with a short vertical shaft 3 whichalso carries a transmission gearV 6 through which -poweris-appliedfrom `a motor'indicatedat 7. Thev rollers 9,9, and- 5, 5, support the` car C andk permit it to be movedrin any .t

direction manually or through power from motor 7. Y Y

8 represents made of wood andeof circularform, withl the floor :which is a metal band 11 attached thereto byscrews 12 for strength.` `The operators seat: is represented by 10, 'and F represents 'a zsteer'-r ing device includingza wheeland shaft a sprocket 72, around which passes thefrh'ain 4 which alsov passesfaround Aanother 'sprocket transmitted by thenop'eratorto the rollers 5, 5, whereby the car may be directed with more or less accuracy.

The above described features are "substan, tially shown in the patents mentioned and in applications of mine now pending.

Referring to' Fig. 1, when the car C is driven in the direction of the arrow toward fence B at a slight angle, there is a tendency for` it to stick there unless it is provided with my horizontally revoluble buffer which I will now describe.

At suitable intervals around car C, disposed in a horizontal plane, I locate brackets L which support suitable bearings on and outside of which is revoluble an annu lar rim H which carries on its outside a pneumatic tire of annular form indicated by K. This tire may be made up of an Outer shoe 20 with an inner tube Y21 in a well known manner, and may have a thickened portion 22 to engage the flanges 32 on rim I'I.

Preferably, I revolubly support rim II in roller bearings shown in detail in Fig. 2.

Each bracket L comprises a top part which rests against the outer edge of car C and is attached to band 11 b means of screws 77 and a supporting leg 6 attached to the bottom of floor 8 by means of screws,

V71 which passes through the floor and'turns ta0 7 3 whereby the ymoti-on of the wheel canfb'e such as 48, so as to project therefrom under the part 75 which it helps to support. The parts 75 and 7 6 together comprisevthe bracket L which also includes the roller bearings now to be described.

In a recess in the part 75 is located a roller bearing, consisting of a sleeve 42 and spindle 43, which passes up through the top of part 75 and down through the part 76, bein held in position by the nuts 41. Against this roller bearing and the others arranged aroundthe car bears the inside ed e 33.01: rim H. f

referably also, in-a recess 44 under the top of part75 and recess49, in the upper part of leg 7 6,-I locate top andbottom roller bearings leach of which consists of a revoluble sleeve 45 carried by pin 46. By means of these rollerbearings, the rim I-I and tire K are so supported that they will move around the car and permit the car to roll along the fence B or'to roll around another car with great facility. As shown in Fig. 3, I can omit the roller bearings and support a single tube pneumatic tire C in a rim N which is itself supported in a groove 5l, forming a projection from the annular metal bearing M which extends all around the car C and is attached thereto by means of screws 52. This is shownY as being reinforced underneath by means of brackets such as 53 attached under the car C by screws 54 and to bearing M by screws 55.

While I preferk a Vcontinuous pneumatic tire structure, I may, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, attach horizontally around theedge of car C by means of screws 61 annular metallic bearing P around which the annular metallic rim R is revoluble. n rlhis rim R may be held in position by means of brackets or dogs 66 and 67, each having an overhang 64 or 65 to keep rim R in position, and each attached to car C by a screw 62 or 63.

such yas v60, are aplurality of bent springs S so arranged that they will extend outwardly therefrom and will therefore serve as buffers, they, together with rim R, being revoluble in a horizontal plane on the outside 'of bearing P.

I claim:l

l. In an amusement apparatus, the combination with a car supported by rollers and having steering and propelling means, of roller bearings disposed in a horizontal plane thereabout, an annular rim revoluble on and outside said bearings, and a pneumatic tire carried outside thereof by said rim.

2. The combination with a car for amusement purposes, of roller bearings disposed in a horizontal plane thereabout, an annular rim revoluble on and loutside said roller bearings, and a pneumatic tire carried outside thereof by said Irim. n

3. The. combination with a car having bearings disposed in a horizontal plane thereabout, of an annular buffer. revoluble on and outside of said bearings.

4. The combination with a car supported by rollers, of an annular buffer revoluble in a horizontal plane around said car.

EARL J. SILVIUS.

Attached to rim R by means of screws 

